Tag Archives: hardcore

It’s been some time since I wanted to talk about this album, but truth is that I wasn’t in the mood for writing and it was very difficult to concentrate on posting because I was on holidays last week, besides energy after the festival in Vitoria was too low. I feel some regret though as last week I wasn’t very profitable at all, but on the other hand it was a fact that I needed some rest from everything. Seems that I relaxed too much as I’ve caught a flu again.

Anyway, I’m back in the saddle, back to work, and trying to adjust to my routines again. Honestly I’ve missed them more than in other occasions, perhaps because level of disconnecting hadn’t been so high, and I’m getting less and less used to so many free days at once.

Until last week I hadn’t listened to Frank Turner’s proper stuff, no matter he’s been a highlighted artist at RockZone magazine, and also praised by some friends, I didn’t have the time and like I always reckon is that I can’t cope with everything. After reading some suggestions I listened to England Keep My Bones and liked it much. A couple of weeks earlier for the same reason I approached Möngol Hörde, in an attempt to get a bit acquainted with the guy, who had been defined as a folk punk writer or something similar. I heard the name of the band which was quite appealing, the name of the artist, and the tip that it was his hardcore project, so I thought some kicking ass stuff would be much better as a start than something deep and possibly moving, considering my current mood. The funniest thing is that I listened to the album once at 2am at a very low volume, so I decided to listen to it properly while walking to my landlord’s new flat, which is 5-6km from my office. The album was so powerful I reached my destination earlier than expected, and I damn sweated like a bitch, as it was one of these sweltering spring evenings in Barcelona, you can only drink beer and pray for a storm to break.

I had already listened and watch the introducing video of ‘Make Way’, with those kids making noise, really killer, and I was quite enthusiastic about what I was to discover next, but to be honest, I didn’t expect I’d enjoy the album so much. It’s an outburst of rage and energy, with lots of attitude and great lyrics, so contagious, I was thinking about few things bothering me up to a point that I reached a very simple but the most convincing conclusion: “fuck’em!”. Yep, I do believe in the inspirational power of music translated to our thoughts, and Möngol Hörde suggests relief through anger, so that was my exercise at that time.

I’ve been hooked to the album and as you can imagine the effect upon me now it’s not so brutal, but it still works for me. I’m totally hooked to songs such as ‘Staff to the Refund Counter’ or ‘Stillborn Unicorn’.

I was reading Turner’s comments on Twitter about the shows. Bruises, injuries, pain… and at the same time the guy was so excited and amazed by the audience response every night of their UK tour, I’d love to attend one of the shows and flip with ‘How the Communists Ruined Christmas’, ‘Weighed and Found Wanting’, and put my life at risk with ‘Winky Face the Mark of a Moron’. I dig that organized and calculated mayhem in really well played songs. You feel the insanity but also realize that everything is under control. Probably not being a pro in hardcore punk style causes I’m so impressed by this. I always have the feeling that the bands play with balls and guts, and I like that.

Thus my first approach to Frank Turner’s universe has been absolutely delightful. In fact, I reckon you’ll see this record included in my favorite records of 2014 at the end of the year. Hell of a debut!